Post by : Meena Ariff

Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula have secured their places in the Australian Open semifinals by stunning the tournament favorites, Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova, respectively.

Reigning Wimbledon champion and second seed Iga Swiatek, who was aiming to complete a career Grand Slam with a win at Melbourne, was upset in straight sets by Rybakina. The 2022 Wimbledon champion sealed a 7-5, 6-2 victory on Wednesday, ending Swiatek’s bid to claim the one major title missing from her collection of six Grand Slam trophies.

Rybakina, seeded fifth and 26 years old, previously reached the Melbourne final in 2023 but lost to Aryna Sabalenka in a tough three-set match. This year, she demonstrated strong composure and confidence on Rod Laver Arena, serving 11 aces and delivering 26 winners, dominating by winning eight of the last nine games.

“At the start, emotions run high when you reach your first final or go far in a tournament,” said Rybakina. “Now, I’m just focused on doing my job and improving each day. It’s just another match.”

Swiatek admitted her serve was not at its best during the quarterfinal. “My serve wasn’t as strong as I wanted it to be. I’ve been working on it during preseason, but sometimes old habits come back in matches,” she said. “There are changes I want to make to improve, and I’ll keep working on that.”

On the other side, Jessica Pegula, who has yet to drop a set this year in Melbourne, defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) in an all-American quarterfinal. The 31-year-old sixth seed continues her quest for a first major title with impressive performances.

“It’s amazing to reach my first Australian Open semifinal,” Pegula said. “I’ve gone deeper at the US Open in recent years, but this is the first time I’ve really broken through here. I enjoy the conditions and feel confident.”

Anisimova struggled with 44 unforced errors compared to Pegula’s 21, and her frustration was evident as hopes for a third straight major title faded.

Pegula and Rybakina are tied 3-3 in their head-to-head record over six matches, setting up an exciting semifinal clash.

In the other semifinal, two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka will face Ukraine’s 12th seed Elina Svitolina.

#Global News #Sports News